Generalized scattering equations for electron diffraction in a crystalline environment have recently been derived with the assumption that the zeroth-order Laue zone (ZOLZ) lies parallel to the crystal surface (or alternatively that the zone axis is parallel to the crystal surface normal) [L. J. Allen and T. W. Josefsson, Phys. Rev. B 52, 3184 (1995)]. The contribution from higher-order Laue zones (HOLZ’s) was not considered. We show that these scattering equations are in fact valid for general orientations of the ZOLZ with respect to the crystal surface, except for the specific case where the ZOLZ lies perpendicular to the surface. Furthermore, a widely applicable expression for the cross section for any type of inelastic scattering in a crystal is shown to be valid for any orientation of the ZOLZ and allows the inclusion of reflections in the HOLZ’s. © 1996 The American Physical Society.

• Received 5 December 1995

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.53.11285